Combination storage device



May 5, 1936. v MlLLER 2 039323 COMBINATION STORAGE DEVICE Filed May 18, 1954 fujorA. MILLER ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION STORAGE DEVICE Elliot A. Miller, New York, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1934, Serial No. 726,249 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-144) This invention pertains to storage devices for receiving and protecting clothing or other articles from moths, dust, dirt -or other destructive agencies and the same has particular relation to ,a device which includes the combination of an outer walled structure or housing and an inner article receiving element or bag.

The invention more particularly provides a storage device of the indicated character which embodies an outer walled structure or housing having a doorway at one side and an inner storage element or bag having a mouth at one side thereof and secured at its upper end to said outer structure or housing so that the inner element is supported therefrom with the mouth thereof disposed in registry with the doorway of the housmg.

The invention is especially applicable to a device in which the outer walled structure or housing is of the knock-down or collapsible type and the inner article receiving element or bag is of the foldable type, whereby the bag structure, when folded, may be'nested within or folded to a compact arrangement with reference to the top of the housing structure when the device is knocked-down, collapsed and folded.

The present invention also resides in the provision of means for securing the upper end of the bag structure to the top of the housing, which means also serves as bearings for a pivotally mounted bail or rod utilized to support garment hangers within the inner element or bag.

The invention further aims to provide a storage device of the type set forth which is comparatively simple in its construction and inexpensive to produce and which efliciently performs its function.

With the previously recited and other ends in view, the invention is set forth in more detail in the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred form of the invention, while the claims embrace other forms which fall within the scope of the invention.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view on a relatively reduced scale showing the housing closure opened, and the closed inner element or bag supported within the housing structure.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the device, the same being taken approximately on a plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

showing the garment hanger supporting bail swung to an inactive folded position.

Fig. 4 is an inverted perspective view of the top of the housing structure removed, with the inner storage element or bag structure folded and 5 nested therein.

Fig. 5 is a collective perspective view illustrating in detail the meansfor securing theinner. element or bag to the top of the housing structure.

Referring to the drawing by characters of 10 reference, A designates generally the outer housing structure and B designates generally the inner storage element or bag.

The housing structure A is preferably constructed of a relatively inexpensive material, such 15 as paper board, cardboard, corrugated paper board or an equivalent material and the same includes opposite side walls 19 and l I connected together by a rear wall I2 and providing an open front which constitutes a doorway l3 which is 20 closed by a hinged door or closure-forming area I4 having a retaining flap I5 at its free vertical edge. Obviously, the walls In, H and I2 and the door or closure N form a body which; if desired, is capable of folding into a compact ar 5 rangement for storage and shipment. The outer housing structure A further includes a top [6 and a bottom I! which are removably associated with the body of the housing structure and which, as illustrated in the present instance, are formed 0 with marginal inwardly directed flanges I 8 and I9, respectively, adapted to telescopically engage over the upper and lower ends of the body structure.

The inner article storage element or bag B includes vertical walls 20, 2| and 22 defining three of its sides and a mouth 24 at its opposite side which serves as a means for introducing the articles to and removing the same from the bag and which is designed to be closed by any suitable means such as by folding over the mouth and retaining the same in closed condition by clips 25. The inner element or bag further includes an upper closed end 26 and a lower closed end 21, the former being secured to the undersurface of the top I6 and in flat contact therewith by any suitable means. In the form of the invention herein disclosed, the upper end 26 of the bag structure B is reinforced by a liner 28 and the securing means is in the form of pairs of outer and inner plates 29 and 3|], the former being located on the upper surface of the top 6 and the latter on the undersurface of the reinforcing liner 28. The inner plates 30 are formed with upstruck tongues or spurs 3| which extend through the liner 28,

the upper end 26 of the bag or inner element B and the top I6 and thence through slots 32 in the outer plates 29 with the terminals of the tongues bent over to clinch and retain the plates in clamping relation thereby securing the upper end of the bag structure to the top IS. The inner or lower plates 30 are medially offset as at 33 to provide bearings for the terminals 34 of a ball 35 constituting means for suspending garment hangers within the bag structure, the terminals 34 serving in the capacity of trunnions by virtue of which the bail 35 may be swung from a depending plane at right angles to the plane of the upper end of the bag to a plane coincident therewith when w the bag is to be folded. The bag or inner structureB is of the conventional foldable type and is adapted to be folded into a plaited arrangement so as to nest within the flanged top l6, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

.Obviously, when the device is to be knockeddown and collapsed for storage and shipment, the top and bottom members 16 and I! of the housing structure A are removed from the body section. The bag or inner element B is then folded to nest within the top l6 and, as shown, where the width of the bag exceeds the depth of the housing structure A, the mouth side 24 of the bag, after being initially folded to the plaited arrangement, is folded over to lie within the'confines of the top member I6.

7 What is claimed is:

1. In a device for the storage of articles, the combination of an outer housing structure including a top and vertical walls with a doorway at one side thereof, and an inner storage element having upper and lower end walls, side walls and an opening at one side thereof for the introduction of articles thereto and the removal of the same therefrom, and means securing the upper end wall thereof in flat contact with the undersurface of the top of the housing structure so as to support said inner element with the opening thereof in registry with the doorway of the housing structure. 7

2. In a device for the storage of articles, the combination of an outer housing structure including vertical side walls having a doorway and a top removably associated therewith and an inner storage element including a foldable body having an upper end wall, an opening at one side thereof for the introduction of articles thereto and the removal of the same therefrom and a garment hanger support suspended from said end wall and means extending through the end wall securing the garment hanger support thereto and the end wall in flat contact with the undersurface of the top of the housing structure whereby the foldable body is adapted to fold into a plaited compact arrangement with relation to said top and is supported by the top to lie within the outer housing structure when unfolded with the opening thereof in registry with the doorway of side walls and formed with a doorway and a marginally flanged removable top telescopically associated with the body section, and an inner storage element including a foldable body, having an upper end wall, an opening at one side thereof for the introduction of articles thereto and the removal of the same therefrom and a garment hanger support suspended from said end wall and means extending through the end wall securing the garment hanger support thereto and the end wall in flat contact with the undersurface of the top of said housing structure whereby the foldable body and hanger support are adapted to be folded into a compact arrangement and nested within the top of the housing structure and adapted, when unfolded, to be supported by the top to lie within said outer housing structure with the opening thereof in registry with the doorway of the housing structure.

ELLIOT A. MILLER. 

